(Matt. xviii. 11). The sheep of God's flock perpetually "go astray," turn from the right way, wander into strange paths, seek pastures that are not good; if God were not perpetually checking their inclination to stray, seeking them, recalling them, "gather- ing" them, bringing them back to him, there would soon be no flock left. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." If the "chief Shepherd" (1 Pet. v. 4), "the great Shepherd of the sheep" (Heb. xiii. 20), had not cared for us and sought us and brought us home, we had been lost indeed; but now, through his ip-eat mercy, we are "returned nnto the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls" (1 Pet. ii. 25 ). Vere. 12, 22, 26.-God in creati()'TI,. Creation tells of God in many ways. "The heavens declare the glory of God ; and the firmament showeth his handywork : day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge" (P,. xix. 1, 2). "The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead" (Rom. i. 20). Here we have noted especially- I. Gon's MARVELLOCSNEBS IN CREATION, I. The very act of creati()'TI, is the most marvellous of all marvels. For what is creation but the production of something out of nothing?-a seeming contradiction, at e.ny rate a strange paradox. Isaiah affects strongly the use of the word bard, (eh. iv. 5; xl. 26; xii. 20; xlv. 8, 12, 18, etc.), which, if not confined to the sense of "producing out of nothing," at any rate includes that. sense (Gesenius,' Lex. Heb.,' ad voc.). 2. And the marvellousoess of creation is enhanccJ by the vastness of creation: sun, moon, planets, stars; the incalculable distances of space-,-the nebulre, either unformed stars, or infinitely distant solar systems like that of which our system forms a part; the Milky Way, or outer edge of our own system, set so thick with stars that they seem to form a continuous girdle of light. 3. The perfect order of creati()'TI,: all things weighed out and measured by God's hand in set proportions one to another; all keeping their appointed courses without collision or con- fusion; observing their respective times and seasons; displaying an infinite variety, which, however, is all ordered and regulated. 4. And by the unity of creation: all of it from one hand, from one miocl, working without assistance, without counsel (vers. 13, 14), from its own inexhaustible stores of wisdom and knowledge; and all of it subject to that one mind and obeying its every behest (ver. 26). II. Gon's GOODNESS IN CREATION. God does not leave his creation alone, to stanJ or fall by its own inherent strength. Every part of it is upheld by him, maintained in existence by him, enabled by him to perform the task which he has set it. The "way" of no part of his creation is "hid from him" (ver. 27). Each star is known by name, and the starry hosts are marshalled" by number," and led forth in their stately march, so that "not one faileth" (ver. 26). So with his moral creatures. They too are upheld; "power" and "strength" are given to them continually (ver. 29); he who sustains them is "never faint, never weary;" a way is contrived for them by which they may "renew their strength" (ver. 31). Doubtless there is this difference. Material things nre absolutely upheld, ancl prevented from failing; God's moral creation is not absolutely upheld. It is given a sufficiency of help (2 Cor. xii. 9), but is not compelled to accept the gift. If man wills to perish, he must perish. Though God's grace is "sufficient for him," he can reject that grace-he cau thw.ut the will of God, who " wouldeth not thnt any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Were it otherwi,e, he would be a machine, and not a moral being.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-11.-The prophet's commission. He is to unfold a theme of consolation, which runs through the whole of the book, introduced by this chapter. He speaks to the prophets : " Yc prophets, prophesy consolation concemin~ my people " (Targum of Jonathan); or," 0 priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem,' according to the LXX. The former is probably correct. The prophets were numerous both iu Isaiah's timo (eh. iii. 1.; xxix. 10, 20) and during the Babylonian exile (Jer. nix. 1). Jehovah is uow reconciled to hie erring people, and calls them no longer by names expressive of 74 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH, [oR. xL. 1-31.